Media Luna

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Media Luna (half moon) or Media Luna Ampliada (extended half-moon) refers to a group of four departments - Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, and Tarija - in Bolivia which became the geographic area of opposition to the national government led by Evo Morales and the Movement for Socialism (MAS). The name comes from the general crescent shape made by the four departments. The term media luna was coined soon after the election of Evo Morales to designate the mostly eastern-located departments that objected to the nationalization and redistribution of natural gas that is a major natural resource in the region and the policy of land reform that would be most vigorously enacted in those regions. The prefects of Santa Cruz, Beni, and Tarija elected in the December 2005 elections all hailed from Bolivian opposition parties. These governors formed the National Council for Democracy (CONALDE). In 2008, these departments were the major areas of violence between supporters of the national government and supporters of autonomy for the departments.